Saturday, November 16, 2019

If you've ever been afflicted with that instant needle-like shock of
pain that comes from tooth sensitivity, you know exactly the curse it
can be. As an adult, it's something we strategically try to avoid,
opting to chew on one side or our mouth, for example, or avoiding things
we really enjoy such as ice cream or frozen drinks. Tooth sensitivity
can be a real pain for adults, and for children without a knowledge of
what might be causing their sensitivity, it can be an even more shocking
and distressing event.

What Causes Tooth Sensitivity?

It's important to properly define the nature of the discomfort your
child is experiencing. Often a child will say their tooth "hurts" when
really, the tooth is just sensitive. Deciding which it is will help you
determine how soon to see your dentist. A tooth is "sensitive" when the
discomfort is immediate, yet fleeting once its cause is removed. Think
of how uncomfortable it would be, for example, to place an ice cube on a
sensitive part of *your* tooth. Doing so would cause an immediate, yet
passing sensitivity as soon as the ice cube was removed from the tooth.
If, on the other hand, you were to *wake up* with a tooth that was
bothering you - and that discomfort continued throughout the day - or,
if each bite of every meal caused discomfort, you would likely refer to
these instances as a "pain" or a "soreness." Placing your child in
these scenarios will help you decide what they’re actually feeling, and
what cause of action to take.

What Causes Sensitive Teeth in Children?

Cavities: Since children don't typically
experience sensitivity due to years of improper brushing, the most
common reason your child will complain of sensitivity will be due to the
presence of a cavity.

New teeth: Once your child's teeth have
erupted and begin to rise to their proper height, that newfound exposure
to air and food can cause some sensitivity. In contrast, the actual
eruption of the tooth is more likely to cause pain and soreness.

A crack or break in the tooth: If a
child has a misaligned bite, or tends to grind their teeth at night,
they can end up with hairline cracks that can cause pain or sensitivity
when eating.

Fillings: Children with silver amalgam fillings might experience hot/cold sensitivity because of the metal's high thermal conductivity.

Sinus problems: Sometimes children with
allergies and sinus problems can experience tooth sensitivity,
particularly in their upper molars. However, if discomfort in the tooth
is present when tapped, the problem is more likely to be with the tooth
itself, and not related to sinus issues.

Improper brushing: While it's true your
child is unlikely to experience sensitivity because of improper
brushing, it is possible. Learning proper brushing technique early-on
can help your child reduce the risk of this type of sensitivity. Teach
your child to use a soft circular motion as opposed to a rapid
back'n'forth motion. This will help preserve the tooth's enamel which,
in turn, protects the nerve-rich dentin. Exposed dentin is what causes
this kind of sensitivity. If your child has braces, technique is even
more important. The reason for this, is that a child with braces tends
to inadvertently brush "lower" along the gum line then they are aware.
If they are doing so at a rapid pace, and in a back'n'forth motion,
they're likely to affect the integrity of the gum line, and can set
themselves up for later tooth sensitivity.

If your child is experiencing sensitivity in their teeth, mention it to
your dentist at their next appointment. Of course, when more lingering
sensitivity or outright pain is present, you may wish to schedule an
appointment sooner - rather than later - to determine the root cause of
your child's complaints.

Friday, October 4, 2019

Bedtime routines with little ones can be hard enough.
Getting them to put on their pajamas, brush their teeth, and fall asleep
at a decent hour isn’t a smooth process. The thought of adding flossing
to the mix makes the bedtime routine sound even more daunting.

But
the earlier you incorporate flossing into their normal daily
activities, the more likely this habit will stick. So how early should
you start?

There are two schools of thought to consider:

#1 — As Early as Possible

As
soon as your baby’s teeth erupt, you will want to start brushing. There
isn’t much to floss at this stage, but your little one is watching your
every move. Soon enough, perhaps by 12 or 18 months, they will want to
copy your flossing and try it for themselves. (That means you ought to
be flossing yourself.)

Use a disposable flosser to gently clean
between their teeth. Let them hold it and use it themselves. Allowing
them to experience the sensation of the thin floss moving between their
teeth will help that feeling be just part of their routine, instead of
something to fear. The more familiar they are with the process, the
better.

#2 — When Their Teeth Start Touching

Once your
baby starts visiting the dentist regularly (most dentists start seeing
children between 1 to 3 years of age), your dentist will be able to tell
you when their teeth are close enough for flossing. (Flossing before
teeth touch is just to get them used to the idea.)

When two or
more teeth are close together, food debris can get stuck. That’s the
perfect moment to demonstrate what floss does. Help them identify which
tooth needs treatment, and show them how floss can remove the food and
the discomfort.

Incorporate flossing every day into their
routine. The best time to floss? Probably right before bed, so they can
sleep with the cleanest teeth possible. Don't forget to use a clean
section of floss between each set of teeth, too.

Final Tips

A
couple final tips: help your children understand why you floss. Show
them the food debris that gets dislodged, and encourage them to enjoy
the feel of a clean mouth. Lessons like these will intrinsically
motivate them to continue flossing on their own.

And, again, make
sure flossing is part of your daily routine. Our kids are experts at
recognizing hypocrisy. If you say they should do it, you should do it
too. Happy flossing!

Monday, September 2, 2019

You’ve seen the videos. The string tied to the loose tooth. The other
end tied to something that moves fast – a rocket, a slamming door, a
javelin … count to three, then let ‘er rip and out she goes! While these
techniques make for some great cinema, they might not always be the
best route to emancipating that wiggly little friend. There are three
questions you need to ask to answer before you prepare that tooth for
the tooth fairy.

Should the tooth in question be loose right now?
Baby teeth come and go on a fairly routine schedule that corresponds
to our age. So, knowing which teeth should be loose and which shouldn’t
can help you in determining whether you should intervene, or leave your
kids’ teeth alone. In the dental world, we call the arrival of a tooth
an “eruption.” Here’s a handy dandy dental eruption chart
from The American Dental Association you can print that’ll help keep
you in the loop as those teeth start loosening up. If the tooth in
question corresponds to the age timeline, than allowing it to get
progressively looser until it’s ready to fall out should be your plan.

But how loose is “loose”?
You’ll never know. But you know who will? Your child. Think of a tooth
like a hangnail … would you rather yank it or clip it on your own, or
have someone else do it for you? Pain is specific to the individual, and
no amount of assuming will ever get you close to understanding how
much, or how little, pain your child is experiencing. So if weeks have
gone by and your kid is ready to get that sucker out of there, let THEM
do the yanking.

A good rule of thumb is to look for considerable back and forth
movement, if your child has been fiddling with a loose tooth for weeks
and can move it back ’n forth and sideways with little to no discomfort,
and they feel comfortable wanting to get rid of it, allow them to try.
Nine times out of ten, the tooth will fall out on its own, though, so
you can just wait if you’d like.

How should we pull it out?
Believe it or not, there really is no single “correct” way to do it.
When a tooth is ready to come out, it really won’t take that much effort
to remove it, and that’s why you hear so many creative stories about
how people finally lost their baby teeth. A little fun goes a long way!
Would you like a few ideas? Check out these videos of kids gearing up for that inevitable moment! If you’d rather do it without a rocket attached, here’s a good guide to follow as well.

Baby teeth. We all lose ‘em. But, not all of us have cool stories (and
videos) to share with the world when the moment of truth comes. Be safe,
let your kid do it, and … maybe, record it for posterity.

Wednesday, July 10, 2019

Unless your dentist recommends adding mouthwash to your dental hygiene routine, most of us probably don’t need
to use it. If you do need to use it, or if you simply prefer to add the
extra sense of protection to your routine, then read on!

It’s
amazing the number of mouthwashes available over the counter. With as
many health claims as they have colors and flavors, it can be difficult
to choose the right one for you. We recommend asking your dentist about which one to use, based on your individual dental needs.

After
that, it’s important to follow the bottle’s directions because, despite
how harmless mouth wash may seem, there can be too much of a good
thing.

It’s harmful if swallowed

Make sure to spit out
as much as possible and do not offer mouth wash to anyone unable to spit
it out or who might confuse it with a yummy drink. It’s best to keep it
locked in a high cabinet. If mouthwash has been swallowed, especially if you’re not sure how much, call 911 or your local poison control center right away.

Too much fluoride

Fluoride
is one of the best preventers of tooth decay, and it is an important
element in our toothpaste and drinking water. However, too much can
cause problems, such as fluorosis. If you do use mouth wash with extra
fluoride, be sure you have your dentist’s approval and only use the
recommended amount.

Too much alcohol

Part of the tingly
sensation you feel during a mouth wash swish is from the presence of
alcohol. Not all mouth washes contain alcohol, but ones that do may
prove too drying for your mouth.

Too antibacterial

Some
ingredients used to fight bad bacteria (such as alcohol and some forms
of chloride) may also affect the good bacteria in your mouth, which help
support dental and overall health. These ingredients may also stain
teeth or cause other unwanted side effects.

Other general side effects of using too much mouth wash too often can include:

mouth sores

inflamed tissues

painful gums

decreased taste sensitivity

If you experience any of these symptoms, discontinue use and call your dentist.

Above all, it’s important to note that using mouth wash is NOT an effective replacement of proper brushing and flossing.
If bad breath is your nemesis and number one reason for reaching for
the mouth wash, it’s likely that you have some other underlying dental
health issues that would be best addressed by visiting your dental
office.

Saturday, May 4, 2019

A six-year-old missing their two front teeth can
be quite the cause for celebration. Just think of all the tooth fairy
visits and all relatives marveling at the new, hip look.

Now if
it’s a teenager without those teeth, well that’s a different story with
much less celebration. And such tooth loss happens all the time -
particularly if your child participates in sports.

In fact, the
American Dental Association suggests that athletes are 60 times more
likely to experience harm to their teeth if they're not wearing a
properly fitting mouthguard.

Why Your Child Needs A Mouthguard

If your child is active in sports - even the backyard variety – please consider investing in one.

The
American Dental Association estimates that “a full third of all dental
injuries are sports related … and that the use of a mouthguard can
prevent more than 200,000 oral injuries to the mouth each year”.

The
risks of playing sports without protection aren’t just related to teeth
loss: a harsh impact to the jaw can even affect the growth of facial
features or cause a concussion that could have otherwise been avoided.

When
choosing a mouthguard, it’s important to remember that custom-made
guards are far superior to the "boil and bite" variety at local sporting
goods stores.

They are designed using a process similar to that
used when making an orthodontic retainer, and guarantee a perfect fit
to your child's mouth. The fit is the most important aspect of a
protective mouthguard.

Variations in the preparation and
specifications of custom guards depend on the type of sport your child
plays, as well as their age and overall dental health.

On the
fun side of things, guards can also be made to match your child's school
colors, or can feature the logo of their favorite professional team.

When There's Convincing to Do

At
first, you may find that your child objects to the idea of wearing a
mouthguard, much in the same manner as when you suggested they wear a
helmet while cycling.

This is natural, and if you experience
kick-back, it might help to show them pictures of their sports heroes
wearing guards. After all, mouthguards are commonplace in professional
sports, and there’s no reason your child wouldn’t want to imitate more
than just their favorite player’s moves.

If you’re still
wondering whether investing in a mouthguard is worth it, you’ll be
pleased to know that these dental appliances are rather affordable, and
can even sometimes be covered by your insurance.

You will also
sleep better at night without the prospect of huge dental surgery bills –
and knowing your child won’t going through school with a 1970’s
hockey-star smile.

Thursday, March 14, 2019

Life is full of mysteries. Such as, why are there so many kinds of toothpaste?

Having
a variety is good – but sifting through the multitude of children’s
toothpaste (on Amazon there are over 4,000 listings) is downright
confusing.

There are a couple key traits that you’ll want to look
for when purchasing toothpaste for your child. We’ll break it down for
you!

Make sure it contains fluoride
In the
past, it was recommended that children younger than 3 years old use
toothpaste that didn’t contain fluoride – i.e. “training” toothpaste.
This was to prevent accidental swallowing of too much fluoride which
could cause fluorosis or stomach upset.

The
new recommendation was put in place to combat tooth decay, the most
common chronic childhood disease. Decades of research showing the safety
and effectiveness of using fluoride to prevent cavities makes this new
policy a no-brainer.

Use the right amount
The
most important part of using fluoride toothpaste is to use the right
amount: the size of a grain of rice for children under 3 (who cannot yet
spit), and the size of a pea for children over the age of 3. A helpful
image showing these amounts is in this report from the Journal of the American Dental Association.

A toothpaste with the ADA seal of approval will always contain fluoride – so that’s an easy thing to look for.

After that, choose whatever toothpaste your child will use!
And
you don’t have to choose children’s toothpaste either. Choose whatever
they like (or tolerate). Experiment with flavors, or have them pick out
the one with their favorite cartoon character.

Whatever toothpaste they accept works!

Just
make sure you’re not sharing your tube of toothpaste with your little
one. You don’t want to transfer any cavity-causing bacteria to their
little mouths. Plus, when sickness goes around, you’ll at least minimize
the risk of infecting your whole family with a single tube of
toothpaste.

A note about ingredients
Unless your little has a particular sensitivity to specific ingredients,
you don’t need to worry about choosing a toothpaste labeled “natural”
or one that markets with all the ingredients it doesn’t contain.

If
you feel more comfortable sticking with a particular brand or avoiding
ingredients like dyes or sodium lauryl sulfate (which can aggravate
canker sores), then go with that! Just be sure to stick with fluoride!

As
always, make sure your little brushes twice a day for two minutes at a
time, and maintain regular dental visits to ensure a healthy mouth for a
lifetime.

Thursday, January 24, 2019

Most of us view braces as one of the awkward parts of
adolescence that we’d like to forget. Phrases like “metal mouth” and
“brace face” make us cringe as we think our own kids might deal with
some of the unpleasantness of their youth.

But what if we could
get a head start on the process and make everything go a little
smoother? Well, that’s just what the doctor ordered!

When to see an orthodontist
According
to the American Association of Orthodontists, a child should be
evaluated by an orthodontist by the age of 7. This is when a child’s
permanent teeth begin to erupt, which means your orthodontist will be
able to spot any issues that may, well, pop up.

If your child is older than that, don’t worry! Any time is a good time to make that initial appointment.

What happens at your first appointment?
Many
initial consultations with orthodontists are complimentary, so don’t
let the cost of a visit keep you away. Your orthodontist will conduct a
thorough clinical exam of your mouth to determine if there are any
potential issues that could benefit from orthodontic treatment.

If
that is the case, the next step is to get diagnostic records which will
include pictures and x-rays of your mouth. Your orthodontist will then
have a digital model of your teeth to determine the best course of
treatment.

Why start treatment so early?
Not
all cases will need to start early treatment. Every individual patient
is unique, and some types of orthodontic treatment will work best if
started after all adult teeth have come in.

For others, starting
treatment “early” — that is, while baby teeth are still present — will
set your child up for a smooth course of treatment over the long run.
Early treatment will help guide incoming permanent teeth into the right
place and ensure proper jaw development. This prevents overcrowding,
impacted teeth, and other unpleasant things.

If you notice your
child has an underbite, overbite, crossbite, severe overcrowding, adult
teeth erupting in the wrong place, or early loss of baby teeth, they
might be a candidate for early treatment.

Is orthodontia mostly cosmetic?
No way! While straight teeth are certainly more pleasing to look at, they also prevent a lot of oral health problems.

Teeth
that are overcrowded or crooked make gum disease and tooth decay more
likely – as there will be more hidden crevices where your toothbrush and
floss can’t reach, leaving cavity-causing bacteria to flourish

A bad bite can cause issues with chewing – leading to jaw problems, strained muscles and frequent headaches

Untreated orthodontic issues may also affect your child’s speech

When you get your child on the right track, you increase the likelihood that their natural teeth will last them a lifetime.

Plus,
technology these days is leaps and bounds better than when we were
kids. You might find your child is excited to get their very own set of
braces if they get to pick out the colors and shapes – especially if
they get to skip part of their school day to do so.